Tube cleaner



July 14, 1931. c. RlFFlN 1,814,752-

TUBE CLEANER Filed July 21, 1928 15 of scraper.

Patented july 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUBE CLEANERApplication filed July 21,

This invention relates to tube cleaners, and is for a tube cleanerprimarily intended for use in the cleaning of the tubes of steamcondensers. The invention is for a tube- =1; cleaner of the type whereinthe cleaner is propelled through the tube by a fluidunder pressure andthe present cleaner is adapted for use where water is used as the mediumfor forcing the cleaner through the tube.

The invention constitutes an improvement on the cleaner disclosed in mypending application Serial No. 266,469, filed April 2, 1928. Accordingto this invention there is provided a cleaner having an improved formThe cleaner is preferably so constructed as to allow the parts toaccommodate themselves to irregularities in the tube being cleaned sothat there is less danger of the cleaner becoming stuck in the tube.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein L Figure 1 represents a longitudinally verticalsection through a tube and tube cleaner;

Figure 2 is a transverse section throu h the tubecle'aner in the planeof line II--TI of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the scrapers; and

Figure4 is a side elevation of a portion of the cleaner. V

The structure shown in the accompanying drawings constitutes a preferredembodiment of the invention. In the construction therein shown there isa central stem member 2 having a head 3 which is countersunk in an endmember 4. The end member 4 has a flange portion 5 and a cone portion 6.

Near the other end of the stem 2 is a bushing 7. Arranged around thebushing 7 are a plurality of scrapers 8. The scrapers 8 are preferablyof the construction shown 1n Figure 3, having a flat stem portion 8 withan inwardly turned inner end 8 and withv an outwardly turned scraperportion 8. The scraper portion has the scraping edge thereof curved toconform substantially to the curvature of "the tube in which'the scraperis to be used, and thescraping edge,1instead of being at right angles tothe longitudi- 1928. Serial No. 294,390.

nal axis of the stem is at a slight pitch or angle. The scraper portion8 is of greater width than the width of the stem 8 so that when thescrapers are placed side by side around the bushing 7 with the edgesthereof substantially in contact, the scraping portions will overlap, asshown in Figure 4. The scraper portion 8? is preferably formed to thestem port-ion 8 through an inwardly curved portion 8 The scrapers areretained in position by means of a cup or thimble 9 fitting over theoutside thereof, this thimble keeping the scrapers in their respectivepositions about the bushing 7. The thimble or cup 9 is preferablynon-circular in cross section, as shown in Figure 2, so that it has aflat side adapted to engage each scraper. As shown inFigure 2, the innerend portions 8 of the scrapers are beveled so that they will notinterfere with one another when assembled about the bushing 7. Eitherthe end member 4 or the'bushing and thimble 7-9, or all of them,areslidable on the stem, whereby movement of member 4 toward and awayfrom'the member 7 can occur for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

' Interposed between the bushings 7 and the end member 4 is acompression spring 10. The compression spring urges the member 4 to theright, as viewed in Figure 1, while the tube cleaner is adapted to bemoved by pressure toward the left as viewed in this figure. Theinwardly'bent or curved portions 8 of the scrapers are adapted to reston the cone 6 of the member 4 and be supported thereby. Since the spring10 serves to urge the cone to the right, the cone normally holds thescraping portions the tube to be cleaned.

- If, in the travel of the cleaner through the tube, any of the scraperportions 8 catch against an irregularity or obstruction which thecleaner can not remove, the pressure of the fluid which propels thecleaner forces the end member 4 to the left as viewed in Fig ure 1,against the compression spring 10. The scrapers riding on the conicalsurface 6 during any such movement are permitted to move inwardly andthus'to pass over theob- 8 against the inside surface of struction. V\hen the scrapers have cleared the obstruction and the cleaner begins tomove through the tube, the spring restores the member 4 to normalposition and the scrapers are again moved out into engagement with thewalls of the tube. In this manner the tube cleaner ismadeself-ad-j-usting The various parts are light weight and in assembly noneare rigidly held with respect to other parts. This, together with thespring which provides a cushioning effect, makes a construction whichwell withstands the rough usage which condenser cleanersare subjectedto, as for example when they are expelled from the tube withconsiderable velocity and strike against the iron condense-r head.

The device can be manufactured relatively cheap. By using a plurality ofrelatively smal-lscrapers extending through only a short areconsiderably less than 90, more effective cleaning is obtained thanwhere the scrapers extend through a considerable are. This is for thereason that if one scraper is forced in by some irregularity in the tubeonly a relatively small area will be missed,- whereas, witha longerscraper a proportionately greater area of the tube will not be scraped.

The flange 5 of the end 4 is made large enoughthat it will the tube withrelatively small clearance. This is so that it will act as a-piston andprevent an excess of fluid from leaking past. Suflicient clearance isprovided, however, to permit it to pass irregularities and to permitenough leakage to wash away the dirt as the scrapers cut it loose andthus prevent clogging of the cleaner. The holes in the scrapers are toallow the fluid to flow away and prevent back pressure on the.

flange 5. Y 7 While I have described apreferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that the inven-tioncan be otherwiseembodied and it is not confined to the particular con.- struction andarrangement of parts herein specifically described.

I claim 1. A tube cleaner comprising a central stem member having a.head member at one end thereof and having an end member with a conicalsurface slidably mounted on the other endther'eof, a compression springinterposed between the end member and the head member, and a pluralityof scrapers surrounding the stem, said scrapers having stem portions andscraper portions, the end of the stem. portions being secured about thehead member, the scraper portions being in cooperative engagement withthe cone of said end member.

'2'. A tube cleaner adapted to be propelled through a tube by fluidpressure applied'to the rear end thereof comprising a central stemmember having a head member at the forward end thereof and having an endmember at the rear end thereof on which is a tapered surface that tapersinwardly toward the rear, said central stem being slidable through atleast one of said members, a compression spring surrounding the steminterposed between the two members, and a pluralit of scrapin elementssecured to the bee .member, sahfscraper elements having a portionthereof in contact with the tapered surface of the end member.

3. In a tube cleaner, astem member having a head at one end thereof, aplurality of relatively thin fiat sheet metal scraper elements havingterminal portions that hook over the head member, and a thimble fittedover the scrapers for clamping. them on to the head member, each of saidscrapers hav ing an outwardly turned tube; scraping surface, saidthimblebeing polygonal in crosssection and having a .flat' side facethereon for engaging. each scraper. 7.

At; In a tube cleaner, a bodyv having. a plurality of, scrapers ofuniform length supported therea-bout, said scrapers being formed of thinflat strips of metalhaving stem portions and upstanding scraperportions, the scraper portions, being wider than the stem portions andbeing inclined at an angle to the longitudinal axes of thestem portionsand to a plane transverse to the lon gitudinal. axes of the stemportions whereby the scraper portions overlap each other and form asubstantially continuous scraping surface.

5. In a tube cleaner, a body having a plurality of scrapers supported.thereabout, said scrapers being formed of thin flat strips of metalhaving stem portions and upstanding scraper portions, the scraperportions being wider than the stem portions and being inclined at anangle-to the longitudinal axes of the stem portions and to a planetransverse to the longitudinal axes of the stem portions whereby thescraper portions'overlap-each other and form a substantiallycontinuousscraping surface, each scraper having' av sharply bent inwardly curvedportion between the stem and the scraper portion.

6. In a tube cleaner adapted to. be propelled through a tube by fluidpressure applied to the rear end thereof,fa plurality of yieldingscrapers movable into. and out of tube wall engaging position, means fornormally supporting the scrapers'intube engaging position movableforwardly relatively to the scrapers under fluid pressure out ofsuehposition, and a spring for opposing such inovementwhereby the saidmeans may move forwardly to relieve the scrapers when the fluid pressureexceeds the spring pressure.-

7. In a tube cleaner adapted to be" proelled through a tube by fluidpressure, a ody, scraperson't-he body yielding radially whereby they canmove-in and out with reiii) spect to the interior of the tube beingcleaned, afluid pressure actuated member normally supporting thescrapers against radial movement and movable under fluid pressure to aposition Where the scrapers may move radially inwardly, and a spring forresisting movement of said member from normal position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CECIL M. GRIFFIN.

